Bitten and Bound
by Cheeseburger of Doom
Summary: Sequel to Chains of Blood -- starring Atobe Keigo, ruler of the underworld on Earth. Painful memories are stirred up by someone who reminds him of his deceased twin brother...
1. Part 1

A/N: I usually try to avoid original characters in fanfiction. I used to write self-insertion, but I can't stand that anymore. Besides that, with self-insertion it's not yaoi...and yaoi seems to be my thing now.

However, I couldn't figure out any way to do this without the original character...He's a boy though, so I find I don't mind so much...I hope you won't, either. Kazuki really is quite pretty -- and angsty.

This is the sequel to "Chains of Blood" -- the much asked for Atobe x Tezuka. Heh. It takes place _before_ the epilogue -- so one hundred years have NOT passed yet. Or else Tezuka would be really wrinkly and not as sexy as usual.

Warnings: Shounen-ai, some neck-biting later (hopefully! Keep your fingers crossed) and some hints at a more-than-brothers relationship between Atobe and his twin (who is my OC).

****

Bitten and Bound

Part 1

Atobe was the lord of the underworld, but he'd recently discovered that he had human emotions. It was all the fault of his damned nephew Sengoku, and his human pet Momoshiro...He'd had to revisit painful memories that he'd been trying so hard to forget...

__

Atobe felt his twin brother calling to him. He felt Kazuki's pain, and somehow, he managed to locate where that pain was coming from. He came upon a very normal-looking house, and kicked open the door.

The sight before him made his eyes widen. His twin brother lay on the floor -- bleeding. A block of wood protruded from his back.

A crazed woman was trying to murder a baby, with a different block of wood.

Atobe didn't think. He took a few long steps toward the woman, grabbed her by the shoulders, and sunk his teeth into her neck. She made a few gurgling sounds as she collapsed to the ground, when the life was finally drained out of her. Atobe took the baby from her arms before she could drop him. He turned to the fallen form of the brother he had not seen in centuries.

"Kazuki!"

"Oh, so you came...Keigo..."

"What happened?"

"She...she killed me...our son, he...his teeth...she knows..."

"She was a human?"

"Yes. I did not tell her the truth about me...I never expected to have a son...and she found out what he is. What I am. She would have killed us both if you hadn't come..."

"Kazuki!"

"Take care of my son, Keigo. Don't tell him the truth -- I don't want him to know what humans are really like. I don't want him to be ashamed of his human half any more than the undead will make him be with their taunting...Raise him in the underworld, Keigo..."

"I swear, I will."

Kazuki, beautiful Kauzki, smiled. "Thank you, Keigo. Goodbye."

Atobe was digging his nails into his palms. It hurt, a little. He stared at the imprints in his flesh, and wondered why he had been forced to remember such things.

It hurt. His heart actually hurt.

He remembered only too well how close he and his twin had been, so many years ago. Nearly three thousand years ago...In an ancient civilization that humans these days could only speculate about...He remembered it well.

He remembered being happy with his twin.

And he remembered the day he'd been chosen to be the lord of the underworld.

__

"Well...you finally have what you always wanted," Kauzki said, coldly. He was usually cold to everyone but his brother, but today, he was even being cold with the one he loved the most.

"Yes, I do," Atobe replied, smirking; a smirk he'd never worn when younger, but that was so frequent now.

"I'll be leaving you," Kazuki said, in that same cold voice. "One day, I won't be here anymore. I don't think you'll care, either. Not with the way you've become."

Atobe snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The arrogance you have gained...You think you know everything, Keigo, and I don't like it. You'll be a fine ruler for the underworld, but I no longer want to be a part of this."

"Kazuki --"

"I'll be gone before you know it, Keigo. I think this is goodbye. I won't be speaking to you again."

And the cold, cold Kazuki vanished into the night.

At the time, Atobe hadn't even cared that Kazuki seemed to hate him so much. They'd both changed so much after Atobe had decided to try and become lord of the underworld. Atobe was the only one that Kazuki had ever been close to, and as Atobe drifted away, Kazuki cared less and less about anything, it seemed.

Then Kazuki had disappeared, as he said he would, and Atobe had not seen him until the day of his death.

That human woman killed my brother, and now I have undead preaching at me that I can't stop them from loving humans? They should recognize that humans are dangerous to us. 

At least the problem isn't as big as it could be. I have a feeling things are going to get progressively worse, though. Cases like this come up more and more often...It must be because the humans outnumber us by so much.

Atobe sighed and drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne. All this musing was giving him a headache. He needed to _do_ something, to get his mind off of things. He'd taken care of all the business that needed attending to, however, and the night's meeting was not for a couple of hours yet. He decided to go wandering. He told Kabaji to wait for him there, and he went above ground.

There was still a tiny bit of daylight in the sky. Atobe detested the daylight. Night was for the undead; the cool and pure darkness of the evening was what he liked best. The blaring sun only served to remind him that humans were the ones who truly ruled this world.

All this negative thought was making Atobe thirsty. It was really quite rare that he actually took a human victim. Ever since he'd killed his brother's wife, human blood just hadn't tasted as sweet. Even his pet Kabaji's blood was not as sweet as it used to be. Vampires took pets so that they could have a constant supply of blood that was sweeter than any other -- but Atobe had lost his thirst, it seemed.

Atobe looked up at the sky, and watched as the last of the light faded, and gave way to the night. He breathed in the night air, and he searched for a victim. Maybe tonight he would drink, and finally forget what had happened to his brother.

It is not as though I really cared for him, anyway -- we were close when we were young, but that ended.

It was not unheard of for the undead to have incestuous relationships, but even for the undead, a relationship like that between twins was frowned upon. Atobe and Kazuki had been given a rough time by many, but they'd been quite happy...

Until...

__

"I want to become lord of the undead," Atobe said to Kazuki one evening. He was brushing out Kazuki's hair. Kazuki had long, beautiful hair...They were not quite identical. Each had a beauty mark, but under the opposite eye. Kazuki's hair was lighter than Atobe's, and Kazuki was a little bit taller.

"Why would you want to be the lord?" Kazuki asked.

"Because then I would have so much power." Atobe clenched his fist. "They would stop laughing at us, Kazuki. Think about it."

"I guess they would, but..." Kazuki turned slightly and looked his twin brother in the eye. He saw such determination there that he decided to stop arguing.

"I only hope you do not regret this," Kazuki murmured. 

"I won't. I promise. I'll make them stop laughing at us..."

Atobe stopped for a moment. That memory had appeared out of nowhere. He'd forgotten completely his original reason for wanting to become the lord of the vampires.

I changed, after that, he realized. I became obsessed with the power...And by the time I finally defeated the previous lord of the underworld, I'd forgotten that reason already...

He remembered at that moment how much he'd...loved...Kazuki.

He laughed. Not many of the undead fell in love, even with each other, and those who did were considered weak. Atobe realized that he might have been one of the earliest undead to have those kinds of feelings -- and he'd forgotten it until now. He'd remembered how close they were, but he had not remembered how much he'd really cared...

Yes, he cared. He still cared about Sengoku, his brother's son. 

I still can't believe he fell in love with a human woman. Did he really love her, or was he just with her because he could be? I'll never know. I assumed he must have loved her to go through with it, but...

Atobe didn't feel like finding a victim anymore. His thirst for blood was quenched yet again.

He turned around to head back, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A figure walking in the dark. He recognized the figure.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, the captain of the Seishun Gakuen tennis team. 

Atobe had been around for nearly three thousand years. He'd been playing tennis for longer than Tezuka could have even comprehended, but for some reason, he'd had a hard time beating Tezuka Kunimitsu. Of course, he had to keep his skills toned down to that of a fourteen-year-old, but still -- Tezuka was amazingly talented. That was why Atobe had gained a some respect for the boy, even if he _was _a human. He was powerful -- even if it was only in something like tennis.

Atobe had been the reason that Tezuka had been sent to Germany -- but Tezuka was back, and better than ever. Atobe decided that since he was bored, he might as well waste some of this time on this human, who he had to admit he found fascinating -- against his will, of course.

"Oi, Tezuka."

Tezuka turned slightly, and saw him there.

"Walking home?"

Tezuka nodded. Atobe caught up with him, and took a closer look at the expression on Tezuka's face. He'd seen that expression somewhere before, on someone else's face...

__

Kazuki...

Atobe, lord of the underworld, was unnerved. He stood staring for a few moments, until Tezuka cleared his throat.

"Did you want something?"

"No, nothing at all," Atobe replied. He tried to regain his composure. Tezuka's expression was exactly the same as Kazuki's had been, so often -- with everyone but Atobe. Until Atobe had changed into something arrogant -- and then Kazuki had used that expression with him.

Of course, many humans must have that sort of expression...Atobe had met many, many humans over the course of his lifetime who were just as cold or colder than Tezuka, but for some reason, seeing this look on Tezuka now, while he was thinking of Kazuki...

They were still standing there. Atobe was still staring at Tezuka, and Tezuka still had that same expression on his face.

"I have to be going," Tezuka said. 

"Yes. Go," Atobe said. "Sorry to keep you." He watched Tezuka walk away, and he tried to suppress his painful memories -- but it seemed that once remembered, they would never leave him again.

~~~~~


	2. Part 2

A/N: No flashbacks in this chapter! (Are you disappointed or relieved?) Now things are going to start to happen...

Part 2

Atobe sat on his throne. A throne that looked as though it were spun from spiderwebs. He regarded his minions with an expressionless face.

"Tonight...I want to talk about something that is becoming more and more of a problem," he said.

Many, many faces stared back at him, with many different expressions. Tonight was a meeting of all of the underworld of Japan. Tonight, the cavern was full of undead who needed to hear what Atobe-sama had to say.

"Lately, there have been more and more of you becoming involved with humans. That has to stop. I have been informed --" Atobe's gaze shifted to Sengoku, but not so that anyone in the audience would notice. "--that there is no way to stop this thing called 'love', and that may be true, but listen to my words: if this continues, we are all going to be wiped out. Humans will never accept our existence. They outnumber us by far, and they have the power to destroy us, so we must hide ourselves from them at all costs."

A murmur went through the crowd of undead. Atobe held up his hand for silence. "You all know the punishment for becoming involved with humans. Some have found ways to get around the punishment, but they end up with something much worse. I want you all to remember that. Now, please, enjoy your socializing. Tonight is our night, the night of the undead!"

There was a cheer, and then the undead mingled. It was a pleasant sight; all of the undead that Atobe ruled over, gathered together, clothed in identical robes of darkness that brought out their true forms.

Atobe heard something collapse on the ground in front of him. It was the zombie, Jiroh.

"What are you doing?" he asked, irritably.

Jiroh looked up at him with vacant eyes. He was a zombie, after all. Zombies were quite rare in the world. Zombies fed off of human brains, but it was very rare that any zombie had the opportunity to feast on anything but corpses -- and so even the strongest of zombies were weaker than they could be. Atobe had forbidden the undead from killing humans, because then mass amounts of humans would die -- someone would discover a pattern -- and it would all be over for the undead. Many humans did not believe that the undead could exist, but there were enough believers to cause them a problem, enough believers to convince the rest that something had to be done...

Jiroh was one of the weaker zombies, and that was the reason he slept through most of the day. He could barely stay awake even at night, when his powers were strongest.

Zombies are very useless, Atobe mused, but they never die, so they come in handy once every few centuries for tasks that no one else wants to complete.

Jiroh of course made no reply to Atobe's question. Atobe glared at him impatiently.

"Kabaji. Move him," Atobe ordered.

Before Atobe's pet could move him, Jiroh finally spoke. 

"Atobe-sama...I've been given a message to give you..." Jiroh started to sink back onto the floor, but Atobe motioned for Kabaji to hold him up.

"You've been formally challenged...as ruler of the underworld..."

"By who? Who would dare challenge me?" Atobe had been ruling for a very, very long time -- and no one had ever been able to defeat him in order to take over leadership.

"Fu...ji..." Jiroh passed out before Atobe could question him further.

Atobe was not surprised. Fuji, who had been a hidden witch until just recently, was a man with an agenda all his own. Atobe had not really expected Fuji to cooperate for long.

He scanned the crowd, and his eyes met Fuji's. In the dark of night, Fuji's eyes glowed a brilliant red. He fit the humans' description of a demon much better than a witch, really.

Atobe nodded, once.

Fuji smiled.

Atobe stepped down from his throne, and followed Fuji outside. No one had to witness this battle. The winner would proclaim their leadership by presenting the loser's corpse to the rest of the undead.

"You're not a vampire," Atobe said to Fuji, as they stood facing each other in a quiet area, where there were no humans. The battle had to take place aboveground, where they were in the moonlight, and their powers were at their fullest. It was dangerous, because they might be discovered by humans there, but it was the only way to fight, really.

"No, I'm not."

"You will lose, Fuji. Witches are not fit to rule the underworld."

"Oh? Why not? Demons did it once before."

"And look what happened," Atobe said, with a smirk. "I ended their rule rather quickly, didn't I?"

"Yes, I suppose you did. Shall we?"

"There is one thing I want to know, before I kill you," Atobe said. "Why would you want to become the ruler?"

"It seems that is the only way I will be able to get my brother back," Fuji replied.

He loves his brother very much, Atobe realized. The memories that he hated whirled about in his mind. He pushed them aside, and nodded, once.

He felt Fuji casting a spell. He let his teeth grow in, and felt the power surge through him. He was ready to fight.

Fuji threw pure power at him -- he resisted it.

They fought for hours.

Neither were tired, but the sun was starting to rise. The battle would have to end soon.

Fuji did not give up because he was determined to win his brother back from Mizuki, the demon.

Atobe did not give up because he wanted to keep the power he'd worked so hard to gain, so long ago. Power that had driven his brother away -- the only thing he had left, now that his brother was gone.

The sun was up. Humans were starting to emerge from their houses.

Suddenly, they both realized at once that a human was watching them. They halted their fight, with an unspoken agreement to finish at some later time.

The human watching was one that they both recognized.

"Tezuka," they said together.

Tezuka was staring at them. There was shock in his usually calm eyes, although his facial expression remained the same as it always was. He'd dropped his schoolbag, and was staring openly.

He looked back and forth between Atobe and Fuji very slowly.

"How much did you see?" Atobe asked. It was his duty as lord of the underworld to destroy Tezuka if he had witnessed anything at all -- but the thought of destroying Tezuka filled him with something that he did not recognize. It was fear. 

He did not want to destroy Tezuka, who reminded him so much of Kazuki.

__

Kazuki...

"I didn't see anything," Tezuka said.

He was lying. Atobe could tell he was lying, because that look of shock was still in Tezuka's eyes. A look of disbelief. He denied seeing anything, because he didn't want to have seen anything.

Fuji's eyes were blue -- but they bored into Atobe.

"What are you going to do about this?" he asked.

"I'll have to take care of it," Atobe said, with more calm than he felt. After all, he was the lord of the underworld, and no matter how unpleasant the task, it was his responsibility to complete it.

Tezuka was walking away.

"Wait, Tezuka! Come back here." 

Atobe's voice was so commanding that it gave even Tezuka reason to stop, and turn around.

"Why?"

"Because you've seen something you shouldn't have, and now you're going to have to pay for it," Atobe said.

"Don't do it," Fuji said. "Leave him alone. He won't tell anyone else. He'll think of it as a nightmare, and he'll forget about it..."

"Have you fallen for a human as well, Fuji?" Atobe asked. "That human?" He pointed at Tezuka.

"I would hate to see him destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Tezuka was looking a bit confused.

"I have a responsibility as the ruler of the underworld to destroy him," Atobe said.

"It would be such a waste..."

"Maybe, but it has to be done." Atobe took a few long strides over to where Tezuka was standing, and he grasped one of his wrists.

"Come with me," he said.

"No." Tezuka tried to walk away, but Atobe's grip on his arm was too powerful. He stared at Atobe, wondering how a fourteen-year-old had gained so much strength. 

"Come with me," Atobe repeated.

Tezuka had no choice but to comply.

~~~~~


	3. Part 3

A/N: Uh oh...there'll be a couple of Kazuki-related flashbacks in this one. I hope that doesn't upset anyone. I have a thing for Kazuki -- think about it, two equally beautiful Atobe's in love with each other! Erm. Yes. I realized after I began this that Atobe should really be known in the underworld as Keigo-sama, since Atobe is most likely a name he's picked up along the way -- but it's too late for that now. So, let's just assume that they call him Atobe-sama because that's how he wants it. 

Part 3

Fuji followed after the lord of the underworld and the doomed human, trying to think of some way to save Tezuka. He was really quite fond of humans, Tezuka in particular, since he had gotten to know the boy, and like he'd said...it would be a waste to destroy him.

Fuji was a little amused to realize that he'd fallen for a human. He didn't plan on doing anything about it, though -- the rules of the undead didn't matter much to him, but getting involved with a human was a bad idea for the simple fact that humans grew old and died. Fuji planned on living for a very long time yet, if not forever.

Atobe took Tezuka into the underground cavern that would soon be full of undead from all over Japan.

"Kabaji, restrain this human," Atobe said, tiredly. Kabaji complied, and held Tezuka's arms behind his back. Atobe sank down into his spiderweb throne. Fuji watched from below.

"Tezuka...you saw something you shouldn't have, and I'm going to have to destroy you," Atobe said. 

"Atobe-sama...can't you spare him? Like I said, it would be a waste to destroy a human like him," Fuji spoke up.

"Maybe so, but now he knows, and we can't have any humans knowing about us," Atobe said. "Welcome to the underworld on Earth, Tezuka."

"Underworld...on Earth?"

"Soon, this cavern will be filled with a various assortment of undead. You just witnessed a battle between two of them. What did you think was going on, Tezuka?" Atobe was curious to hear what kind of explanation Tezuka had come up with for the things he had seen.

"I don't know," Tezuka replied. "I saw what you were doing, but I don't believe it."

Atobe sighed. "I believe that you would not tell anyone about all of this, however, I can't let a human go who knows about the undead. There are rules...and I am the ruler, so I must set an example for my people."

Atobe wondered what was going on in Tezuka's mind. He had to be confused, or afraid, or...something. He'd just discovered a hidden world within his own, after all. Atobe had no idea what it was he was feeling though, because Tezuka's face was expressionless, as usual. The shock had faded from his eyes, and he was perfectly calm. 

He was so much like Kazuki that Atobe felt a chill run down his spine.

"What are you?" Tezuka asked.

"A vampire. The leader of the underworld."

"Vampire." Tezuka shook his head. "I don't believe in vampires."

"Many humans have said that. Vampires exist. One is sitting before you, in his throne." Atobe opened his mouth, and pointed to one of his sharp teeth. "You see? And you saw Fuji using his power. He's a witch."

"Vampires and witches..."

"And demons, shapeshifters, ghouls, zombies..." Tezuka's expression never wavered. Atobe was beginning to feel irritated. He wanted some kind of reaction from the human. Any reaction at all! He wanted Tezuka to get down on his knees and beg for his life -- because if he begged, Atobe might be inclined to try and do something to save him. He would have a good reason to try and do something to save him...

"Aren't you afraid?" Atobe asked. "Or do you not believe what I am telling you?"

"I believe it," Tezuka said. "You showed me proof, so I believe it."

"Then why aren't you afriad?" Atobe demanded.

"Why should I be? You've already said you're going to destroy me, and there's nothing I can do about it...I won't be alive to be afraid of all of these things for much longer."

"Are you not even frightened by your own death?"

"I don't want to die," Tezuka said, "But right now, I'm helpless. What good is panicing?"

Oh, what a waste, to destroy this human! Atobe cursed his luck. He cursed Fuji for his timing. 

"Make him a vampire."

Atobe met Fuji's gaze. His eyes during the day were not red, but an inhuman shade of blue. He kept them closed most of the time, to hide them.

"You know that is not an option," Atobe said. 

"Why not, oh lord of the underworld? You have the power to choose what humans join our ranks. You talk sometimes of taking over the human world, one human at a time -- since they outnumber us so."

"I have no intention of taking over, and you know that, Fuji Syusuke," Atobe said. Fuji was a genius, and the only one that Atobe knew had figured out his plans. He wanted the undead to think he was trying to take over, so that they would remain satisfied; but in reality, he had no intention of taking over at all. It was an impossible task in this world full of humans. Perhaps one day he would be able to do it, but not now, not yet.

"Oh, I know that, but no one else does," Fuji said cheerfully. "Think about it! It's the perfect plan. Don't you think he'll make a lovely vampire?"

It was an exciting prospect, really. If Tezuka was a vampire, he would have an infinite lifespan, and then maybe he would be available to Fuji as more than just a toy...

Then again, if Atobe was having such problems destroying Tezuka (which he obviously was judging by all the talking he was doing, and his failure to take action as of yet), then perhaps Fuji would not have a chance, after all.

"You can't have another pet, because you already chose yours," Fuji continued, "So don't you think this is the perfect option?"

"I am well aware of the fact that I am not allowed another pet," Atobe said coolly. "I can take another when this one dies, however, since I am the lord of the underworld."

"He isn't dead though, is he? And he's useful, so why bother killing him? I've found you the perfect solution, lord of the underworld."

"You may be a powerful witch, Fuji, but don't think that you can get away with talking to me like that," Atobe warned. "Leave this cavern, now, and return when the meeting starts -- but not before."

"Yes, Atobe-sama," Fuji said, with a mock bow. He left the cavern with a smile on his face. He knew what Atobe was going to do. He could see it in his eyes.

__

"Keigo...you have changed," Kazuki said. 

"What are you talking about?" Atobe demanded. "I'm the same as always."

"You are becoming arrogant, Keigo," Kazuki replied. Tonight Kazuki was brushing out Atobe's hair. They took turns brushing each other's hair. It was a very human-woman-like thing to do, but it gave each of them comfort.

"So? I am doing well in my training, and I like to boast a little," Atobe said. "What is wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I suppose, but you have been acting differently towards me, as well," Kazuki replied. "What happened to the Keigo who used to say 'I love you'?"

Atobe whirled around, causing the hairbrush to fly out of Kazuki's hand. 

"Kazuki...you know I love you. Do I need to say it often for you to believe it?"

Kazuki bit his lip, his usually calm expression cracking just a little. Atobe wondered what was wrong with him.

"No, I still believe it, Keigo...But I fear that one day, I will not."

Atobe pulled his twin brother close to him. "Never say things like that. I want to become the lord of the underworld to make them leave us alone. You'll see! We will be so happy!"

"Let him go, Kabaji," Atobe commanded.

Kabaji released his prisoner, and stepped back. Tezuka did not try to run, did not try to escape. Atobe knew he would not.

"Tezuka. I want to offer you a choice," he said. "I can destroy you here and now, and feed you to my people...or I can make you a vampire."

"From the way you were just talking to Fuji, I thought that was not an option."

"I have changed my mind," Atobe said, irritably. "Never question the lord of the underworld. I have more power than you could ever imagine."

Tezuka raised an eyebrow, and said nothing to that. Apparently, he was not impressed by the ruler Atobe's attitude any more than he was impressed by the tennis player Atobe's attitude.

Atobe actually found that a little amusing, but he would never admit it.

"Make your choice," Atobe said. "I realize it is not an easy thing for a human to choose between death and eternal life as a vampire, but you do not have much time to make this decision. I should tell you that vampires do drink human blood, but we can survive without it. It is forbidden to kill humans for food, unless given permission by me. I am trying to save my people from the humans, who may one day destroy us all, if they find out about us."

Tezuka took all of this in with the same expressionless face he always had.

__

"Kazuki...why do you think that everyone hates us so?" Atobe asked, as he lay in the arms of his twin. "We're undead...so why does it matter if we're brothers?"

"I don't really know, Keigo," Kauzki replied. 

"Will they ever accept us?"

"Probably not."

"Will you stay with me anyway?"

"Yes. Always."

"I'll be gone before you know it, Keigo. I think this is goodbye. I won't be speaking to you again."

"So, what do you choose?" Atobe asked, after giving Tezuka a few minutes to think it over.

Tezuka met Atobe's gaze and held it. Not many could look the lord of the underworld in the eye without breaking. Fuji was one who could do it -- but he was a witch.

Tezuka was truly a remarkable human.

"Make me a vampire," Tezuka said calmly.

A remarkable human who would not be human for much longer, it seemed.

~~~~~


	4. Part 4

Part 4

"Make me a vampire," Tezuka said calmly.

Atobe closed his eyes. "Come here."

Tezuka moved closer to the throne, and stood stiffly before Atobe, unsure of what to do next.

"Kabaji, leave us."

Kabaji did as he was told, leaving his lord alone with the human.

"What is he?" Tezuka asked.

"A ghoul. He is my pet. All vampires are allowed a human pet. The blood tastes much more better if a vampire is bonded to the human...eventually those pets either become ghouls, or they become vampires. Ghouls die. Vampires don't, unless stabbed with wood." Atobe wondered if Tezuka was even listening to him. It was important for him to know all of this, since soon, he would be one of the undead. His expression never changed. Was his face painted on?

Atobe stood and reached out his hand. He caressed the smooth skin of Tezuka's neck. Atobe suddenly wanted so badly to drink the blood that flowed there...

The ritual to become a vampire was simple. Atobe felt his teeth lengthen, and he sunk them into Tezuka's neck. Tezuka gave a barely audible grunt of pain, but he did not protest. Atobe drank some of the sweet blood -- some, but not much. Not as much as he wanted to drink. Tezuka's blood was unlike any he had ever tasted. It was even better than his pet's -- but that should have been impossible.

He pulled back, and pulled down his collar. 

"Now, drink my blood," Atobe commanded. 

Tezuka felt a little dizzy, since some of his blood had been drained. "How...?"

"Just lean close to my neck..."

Tezuka's mouth came close to Atobe's pale white throat, and new instinct took over. Tezuka's teeth punctured Atobe's flesh, and he drank.

"Enough." Atobe pushed Tezuka away. "It's finished. You are a vampire."

"I don't feel any different," Tezuka said. Besides the taste of blood in his mouth, he felt no different than he had moments before. 

"No, but you will," Atobe said. "You will feel a thirst for blood when you look at humans. You will find you have powers that no human could ever possess. You will not age, you will not die."

Tezuka nodded.

"Tezuka. Why did you agree to this?" Atobe asked. "To live forever like this, isn't it something that humans dread?"

"I didn't want to die," Tezuka replied simply. "Death is something that humans dread even more."

Atobe took Tezuka's arm, and led him away from the throne. "I will find you some of the robes that you must wear to each meeting. They are a tradition. I will teach you things you need to know as a vampire. If anyone treats you badly because you are not a true vampire, then tell me, and I will deal with it."

"Hn."

Tezuka really did make a lovely vampire. The traditional dark robes suited him very well. Atobe watched him from his seat on the spider web throne; watched him meet the undead. Tezuka showed no surprise to find that people he had thought were human were really not. He did not show any emotion at all.

He was realy like Kazuki had been with everyone but Atobe. It was unnerving. It was...amazing.

Atobe did not like that he'd had to turn Tezuka into a vampire. He'd been an amazing human, and now...now, he was just a vampire of average power. He had a very powerful presence, but it was lost on most of the undead. They just didn't care.

__

"Take care of my son, Keigo. Don't tell him the truth -- I don't want him to know what humans are really like. I don't want him to be ashamed of his human half any more than the undead will make him be with their taunting...Raise him in the underworld, Keigo..."

By having a human son, Kazuki had forced Atobe to care about humans. Atobe cared for his nephew Sengoku -- enough to have let him take a human pet that he'd known Sengoku cared too much about. Enough to have let Sengoku convince him to leave the two of them alone...

Atobe had learned to care for humans enough to have let Tezuka live. It was just too bad that he hadn't let Tezuka live as a human.

"Atobe-sama," Fuji said, as he knelt before the lord of the underworld. "I wish to revoke my challenge. I no longer have any desire whatsoever to take your place as ruler."

"Oh? Why not?"

"That kind of responsibility does not appeal to me, now that I think of it," Fuji replied. 

"What about your brother?"

"There are other ways. We will live a long time -- I will have him back, eventually."

"I see."

"Besides, you are a good ruler," Fuji continued. "I don't agree with some of your rules, but then again, some of them make sense."

"So, will you continue to live in the underworld, hidden witch Fuji Syusuke?"

"For a while, perhaps. We shall see," Fuji said. "Oh...I wanted to tell you that you do not have to worry about competing with me for him."

"For who?"

"It's useless to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about," Fuji replied. "I approached him, but he is not interested. I think the bond between a made vampire and the vampire who made him is too strong."

"That is enough," Atobe said, coldly. "I do not wish to hear any more on the subject."

Fuji just smiled, nodded, and walked away.


	5. Part 5

Part 5

A year had passed since Atobe had made Tezuka a vampire. Over that year, Atobe had become increasingly depressed. It was not typical of vampires to suffer from human emotions like that, but Atobe was not a typical vampire, after all. He'd once been in love with his twin, but no one here remembered that. It was long forgotten.

Even Atobe himself had forgotten -- but once remembered, those memories could not be erased. 

__

"Your blood is sweet, Kazuki...I love you," Atobe said. He and his twin were in each other's arms -- even though the underworld frowned upon them, they were still together, anyway.

"I love you too, Keigo -- only you."

Atobe was jealous of the human woman Kazuki had married and had a child with. Extremely jealous. All his old emotions welled up at once. All his memories collided together to form a painful whirl.

He rose from his spiderweb throne, and left the cavern, in the middle of a national meeting. He told Kabaji to come and get him if there were any problems. He said he just wanted a taste of the pure night air.

"Atobe-sama."

Atobe turned, and saw that he had been followed. He decided that he hated to hear Tezuka call him that. It was wrong, somehow. He would have preferred Tezuka to call him by a different name, a name that he'd only ever let one person call him...Because Tezuka reminded him so much of that person. So much, in fact, that Atobe kept expecting Tezuka to disappear just like Kazuki had.

"Tezuka. What is it?"

"Why did you leave?"

"Just for a walk," Atobe replied. "I do not socialize, so it does not matter if I am not there for a little while. I will return shortly, and make any announcements that I need to."

"I see."

"Tezuka. It has been a year since I made you a vampire. Have you adjusted to this life?"

"Yes."

"Do you enjoy it?" Atobe asked. He really had no idea of the answer. He could not read Tezuka at all.

"Not especially, but I have gotten used to it, like I said."

"Tezuka...did you know that when vampires make love, they drink each other's blood?"

__

"Kazuki...I heard that when vampires...make love...they drink each other's blood. Is that true?"

"Poor, naive Keigo...You don't know anything, do you?" Kazuki teased his twin. 

"No teasing! You are the only one I can ask about these things," Atobe muttered. "We are both still children after all, so no one ever explains anything!"

"What makes you think I know?"

"You know everything!"

"Not everything, brother."

"Ha! Well, one day I will know everything, and you will have to come to me for answers! Now, is that true?"

"Yes, it is. Or so I have heard," Kazuki said. "Maybe one day we should try it..."

Atobe blushed. "You are a little too mature for your age, to suggest something like that."

"And you are a little too mature for your age to blush at the suggestion," Kazuki pointed out.

They both laughed.

"No, I didn't know that," Tezuka replied. "Does it matter?"

"It might," Atobe replied. He wanted to end his fears of Tezuka disappearing before his eyes. He would not lose Tezuka like he had lost Kazuki.

Maybe Atobe had learned to care once again. He didn't want to care. He was one of the undead, after all. He was the _leader_ of the undead, he should never have to deal with those kinds of emotions again.

"Why did you really agree to become a vampire?" Atobe asked. "Was it really because you did not want to die?"

Tezuka was silent for a long moment. Atobe was almost holding his breath, waiting for the response.

"Partly. It was also because I felt guilty for some reason, and I didn't know why."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw something in your eyes...and I thought that if I did not agree to become a vampire, the reason would slip away."

__

Kazuki...

Have you come back, Kazuki? Atobe wondered. Did you really love that woman, or were you just trying to forget your past life, and move on?

__

"I'll be leaving you," Kazuki said, in that same cold voice. "One day, I won't be here anymore. I don't think you'll care, either. Not with the way you've become."

I didn't care when he left me -- but I care now. The lord of the undead has human emotions...emotions I warn the rest of my people away from. It's ironic, really, because I had those emotions long before I started warning my people against them.

"Does the name Kazuki mean anything to you?" Atobe asked.

"No," Tezuka replied.

Atobe sighed. Maybe his brother had not come back to him after all. He looked up at the stars.

He felt arms slip around him from behind, and a chin resting on his shoulder. It startled Atobe. Tezuka was not the type to do this...

Kazuki wasn't either -- with anyone but me.

"Why did you make me a vampire?" Tezuka asked.

"Because I did not want you to die," Atobe replied, "And because there was something familiar in your eyes, as well. Only, I know why I feel guilty. Why I still feel guilty."

"Why?"

"I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you," Atobe said. "Besides, memories like that should be forgotten..."

__

"I love you too, Keigo -- only you."

"Can you forget them?" Tezuka asked. "Do you really want to forget them?"

The tone of his voice sent a chill through Atobe. Kazuki was standing behind him, holding him as he always had, and speaking in that same voice...

"No. I don't want to forget you," he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing," Atobe replied. "Tezuka...The bond between made vampires and the vampire who made them is a strong one. Do you feel its pull?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"Good," Atobe said. He removed Tezuka's arms from his person, so he could turn around and give his vampire a kiss. Tezuka made no protest.

__

"I love you, too, Keigo -- only you."

"Do you hate my arrogance?" Atobe asked Tezuka, when they broke apart.

"It's part of you." 

"What does that mean?"

Tezuka did not reply to that. His hand caressed Atobe's cheek.

Atobe leaned forward, and sank his vampire teeth into Tezuka's neck. Tezuka made no protest.

Thank you, Kazuki. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for coming back to me.

__

"I'll make them stop laughing at us, Kazuki..."

"I hope you can, Keigo. I hope that you can..."

Atobe and Tezuka lay in each other's arms. Tezuka was asleep. The peaceful expression on his face was a nice change from the usual. Atobe touched his sleeping face, right under his left eye, where a beauty mark should have been. He smiled. 

They won't laugh at us anymore, he promised his brother. They'll never laugh at us again.

~~~~~


	6. Part 6

A/N: Well, it was asked for, so I decided to comply. It was only going to be the five parts, but...I actually had a tiny bit of inspiration.

****

Epilogue

Almost a hundred years with the same lover might bore some, but Atobe was certainly not bored with Tezuka. After all these years, there were still things that the found fascinating about the man he'd made a vampire. After all these years, Atobe had come to the conclusion that Tezuka really was Kazuki; he had to be.

Tezuka had grown much more...well...cuddly over the years. He'd warmed to Atobe somewhere along the line, and -- Atobe had to admit -- Atobe had warmed just as much towards Tezuka. They were just short of being one of those sappy romantic couples that made Atobe queasy whenever he bothered to watch movies.

A feeling of peace had settled over Atobe.

Fuji Syusuke definitely knew how to ruin things.

Atobe lay awake one night, stroking Tezuka's hair absently. Tezuka was fast asleep already.

He heard a noise.

Fuji was standing at the end of their bed, grinning. His eyes were open, and they were glowing red -- he was in full witch mode, it seemed.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"You could have come to me at one of the meetings instead of disturbing me in bed." Atobe was definitely not amused. He rose, carefully, so as not to awaken Tezuka -- which was a difficult feat. Tezuka was not what one would call a heavy sleeper. Atobe pulled on his robe, and followed Fuji out of the room.

"What the hell do you want?" he demanded.

"I just came to notify you that I'll be disappearing again," Fuji said. Cheerfully, as always.

"You snuck into my home to tell me that?"

"It was your fault for not noticing me until then."

Atobe couldn't really say anything to that. It was true. Fuji had probably managed to sneak in while Atobe was still feeling weak after love-making...Those moments when he felt more like a human than anything else.

"Why are you telling me?" Atobe asked. "You've never felt the need to notify me of any of your intentions before."

"No, I haven't. But before I go, I wanted to try and defeat you one more time. Just to see if I can. This time, there won't be any interruptions."

Atobe could not refuse a challenge. He noddded.

"Tonight, then. I'll be waiting for you..."

~~~~~

"Where are you going?" Tezuka asked, from his place to the right of Atobe-sama's throne.

"To meet someone."

"Meet someone?"

"Are you jealous, Kunimitsu?" Atobe laughed. "Not that kind of meet. I have an appointment with one of my underlings."

"You've been challenged."

Atobe wanted to deny it. He didn't want Tezuka to know that he was about to go and battle to the death. For some reason, Tezuka didn't like it when he did that, and an angry Tezuka was a little frightening. Only slightly worse than that was a worried Tezuka, who tended to be very overprotective...But how could he deny it, when Tezuka already knew?

"Yes. By Fuji. To finish what we started."

"That I interrupted?"

"Yes."

Tezuka's hand clasped Atobe's. "Come back alive, Keigo."

Very few people had ever called Atobe by that name. Sometimes he used it as his first name, sometimes he didn't. The only person he'd enjoyed hearing that name from was his twin brother, so long ago...

Now there was another. Tezuka Kunimitsu -- who sometimes went by a different name, and sometimes not, but he would always be the same person to Atobe -- his twin brother Kazuki, come back to him.

Atobe nodded, once, and then he went outside, to where Fuji was waiting.

~~~~~

"Was Tezuka worried about you?"

"What business is it of yours?" Atobe asked, a little irritated by Fuji's question.

"I just wanted to make sure that he's still happy with you. I would gladly steal him away you know...but then again, I think that my little Jiroh might get a little jealous."

"Your..."

Fuji laughed. "My."

"You really are something, to pair with a zombie."

"Aah, and you really are something, to pair with someone who used to be human."

Atobe snorted. "True. Shall we?"

"Of course."

They fought. Power against power; ruler against would-be ruler.

Only -- Fuji didn't seem to be fighting seriously. Atobe broke it off.

"What are you doing?"

"I seem to have lost interest," Fuji said. "Since Tezuka really is happy with you, I guess I should be on my way."

"You..."

"I've been watching you two. It all seems satisfactory. I love playing matchmaker, you know."

Fuji was really a puzzle. One that Atobe didn't even want to try and figure out.

"I'm going to steal Jiroh away and leave the underworld behind...Yuuta still won't come back to me, even after this many years, so...I'll have to try again some other time. Ja ne, Atobe-sama. Next time...I might win."

Atobe knew he would never forget those glowing red eyes, even if he never saw them again. He was fairly certain he would see them again though -- that was Fuji's way.

He turned and went back to his throne.

Back to his lover...

Back to his love.

~~~~~

"Na, Kunimitsu...are you really happy?" Atobe asked suddenly. 

"Yes, I am."

"You remind me of someone I used to know," Atobe said. "I've never mentioned it before, but...you are almost the double of him."

"Oh?"

"And I love you just as much or more as I did him."

"I love you, too."

"I know that. I think you love me as much as he did, and maybe more. You'll never leave me, will you? No matter what."

"No. I never will."

"Good."

Atobe drifted off to sleep. He'd finally achieved his goal. He was the ruler of the underworld on earth...but he was still loved. He was with the one he loved, and no one was laughing at them.

No one would ever laugh at them again. 

~owari~


End file.
